Ink fountain and method



Npv. 26', 1929. H. c. SCHROEDER 1,736,942

INK FOUNTAIN AND METHOD Ofiginal Filed July 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Nov. 26, 1929. H. Q'sCHROEDER 1,736,942

INK FOUNTAIN AND METHOD Original Filed July 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Shei 2 a INVENTOR. Y I

d 2 A; TORN Patented Nov. 26, 1929 came srnras PATENT oFFICE HANS C. S GHROEDEE, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINGIS, ASSIGNOE T0 GOSS PRINTITIG PRESS CGMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS INK. FOUNTAIN Ann mnrnon Original application filed July 7, 1926, Serial No. 120,909. Divided and this application filed August 9,

1927. Serial No. 211,712.

My invention relates to printing presses and more particularly to the ink fountain employed in printing presses, and to a method for keeping the pigment of the ink uniformly distributed throughout the body of the ink in the fountain. My invention further relates 'with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities' and combinations. pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, improvements and method herein shown and described.

The accompanyingdrawings, referred to herein 'andconstituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and

together with the description, serve toeX- plain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings 1- l Fig. 1 is a vertical section. along line 11 of Fig. 3, through an ink fountain of the overshot type, equipped with one form of my invention.

F ig. 2 is a diagrammatic vertical auto matic section showing the automatic circulation of the ink in the fountain of 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of thefountain shown in Fig. 1.

' To more readily distinguish my invention from other inventions, and to comply with section i888 of the Revised Statutes, I shall briefly refer to the form of ink fountain which is now commonly employed in printing presses.

The usual type of ink fountaln for a printing pressis provided with arotatable fountain roller which rotates with a portion of its surface in contact with the ink in the fountain at all times, so as to accumulate ink to be transferred to the ductor roll. At the point where the rotating surface of the roller emerges from the fountain there is positioned a doctor blade which serves to scrape the surplus ink from the surface of the roller. As the fountain roller rotates, it sets up a local current or eddy in the ink adjacent to its surface. This convection current travels with the surface of the roller to the point ofjunction of the roller with the doctor blade. Since a relatively small amount of ink is allowed to pass by the edge of the doctor blade, the convection current is rebuffed or turned away from the surface of the roller and travels in a reverse direction on a course slightly divergent from the surface of the roller for a certain distance, when it completes its circuit by being drawn back to the rotating roller surface. Thus there is set up in the ink a local convection current or eddy which, however, fails to affectthe great mass of ink in the fountain removed from the roller and which, therefore, is left dead or unagitated. After the press has been running for a coin paratively short time it is found in practice that the pigment is withdrawn or used up from the local current of ink described above, and consequently the ink which is picked up by the fountain roller becomes thin and loses color. Under the present practice, when this condition arises the doctor blade has to be somewhat further separated from the fountain roller in order to obtain sufllcient color from the thin ink which is being fed from the local currents. Again, in the present practice when the press is idle, there is of "course, no local convection current. so that the pigment throughout the body of the ink tends to settle to the bottom of the fountain, thus causing an uneven distribution and mixture of the pigment with the ink and making it necessary to stir up the ink by hand or other means in order to secure a proper mixture. Ordinarily, in running color, it is necessary for the pressman to stir up the ink in the fountain by hand about every 15 minutes.

tional quantity of thin ink to be taken up by the fountain roller, for use of my invention, the coloring content and the consistency of the ink will always be uniform, insuring uniformity of color in the printed product. Further, any tendency that the pigment has to settle out by gravity will automatically be collected by currents of ink set up and maintained in the fountain.

My present invention is directed to a novel method of causing the local convection currents set up in the vicinity of the fountain roller of the ink mechanism of a printing press to diverge from their natural paths and flow through the mass of ink in the fountain which is removed from the fountain roller in such a way as to thoroughly agitate said ink and set up and maintain an even distribution of the pigment therein.

, My present invention is'also directed to means for directing the flow of the above mentioned convection currents throughout the mass of ink in the fountain so as to obtain and maintain the most desirable mixture of the pigment or coloring matter in the ink. The invention is further directed to effecting and maintaining the desired color and consistency of ink in the fountain by a method which requires the introduction of no forces other than those employed in the actual operation of an ordinary ink fountain.

Other features and'objects of the invention will be set forth in connection with the appended detailed description of the present preferred embodiment and it will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the invention are illustrative and exemplary, but are not restrictive of the invention.

My method may be carried out by various forms of apparatus, the invention being applicable to either an undershot or an overshot fountain roller, and is adapted to give the best results when employed with any particular kind of printing ink and under any particular set of conditions. In the present preferred embodiment I have shown my invention ap plied to ink fountains for printing presses equipped with overshot fountain rollers.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, (Fig. 1) 21, is a standard form of ink fountain for a printing press equipped with the ordinary form of overshot fountain roller 22, cooperating with the ordinary form of ductor roll (not shown). This fountain 21 is provided with the ordinary form of doctor blade 23 supported in any suitable manner by the set screw 23? and provided with the adjusting member 23, all as in the usual practice,

hfeans for defiecting'the convection currents set up by .the rotation of the fountain roller 22, which rotates in thedirection indicated by the arrow, are provided for carrymes es ing out the method of my invention. A baffle plate 2 1 is mounted in the fountain so that its edge 25 lies adjacent to the junction of the doctor blade 23 with the surface of fountain roller 22. The baffle plate 24 extends from the above mentioned junction point through the fountain at an angle to both the doctor blade and the bottom of the fountain, to a point somewhat removed fromthe rear wall of the fountain, thus dividing the fountain into substantially two main compartments. In the present embodiment, the bathe plate is carried by arms 26, 26 being preferably riveted thereto by the rivets 27, 27. These arms have heel portions 28 which are seated in the angle 29 between the bottom 30 and the rear wall 31 of the fountain. The arms 26 are provided with hooks 32 so that they may be secured to the rear wall 31 of the fountain by a clamping bolt 33.

As previously described, if it were not for the presence of the baffle plate in the fountain, a local convection current generated by the drag of the rotating fountain roller 22, through the ink, would travel in a circuitous path along the periphery of the roller from the point A (Fig. 2) where the surface of the roller first contacts with the ink in the fountain, to the point B, where the doctor blade 23 joins the surface of the fountain roller 22. At this point since very little ink can escape between the periphery of the fountain roller and the edge of the doctor blade 23, the surplus ink would be scraped off by the doctor blade and together with the current of ink following the periphery of the rotating fountain roller, would be deflected or turned back fromthe doctor blade and caused to travel back down into the body of ink slightly removed from the roller surface to some point C where it would mingle again. with the current of ink following the periphcry of the fountain roller. In this way a local current in the vicinity of the roller surface would be set up and maintained, upon which are attendant all the undesirable features previously described.

However, by virtue of my invention, a very different action takes place. As shown in Fig. 2 the usual convection current of ink is set up and follows the rotating surface of the roller from A to B as described above, but upon being deflected at B by the doctor blade 23, the presence of the baflie plate 24 prevents the current of ink from following its natural downward return course and causes it to travel above the baffle plate, as indicated in Fig. 2, and thence to the rear wall 31 of the ink fountain where it is again deflected, and its direction of flow reversed. After this deflection and reversal at 31 take place the current divides into two main streams, the upper stream passing by a short out under the baffle plate 24 to the periphery ofthe fountain roller 22 at D, where it mingles with the main stream following the periph'ery of the roller, The lower current tends to follow the bottom 30 of the fountain to some point such as E, where it again divides as shown by the arrows in Fig. .2, one portion continuing to follow the bottom of the fountain until it reaches the end 85 thereof, where it mingles with the original current. Another portion, however, will be deflected upward at E by the action of the main current of ink following the periphery of the fountain roller and will make a short cut to rejoin said main current. These different currents of ink will all meet or merge between the end 25 of the baffle plate 24-, and the periphery of the fountain roller 22, as shown by the arrows, so that there will be a complete commingling and movement of all the ink in the fountain, with the advantages of thorough mixing of the pigment and the effecting and the maintaining of uniform consistency and coloring of the ink, together with the other advantages heretofore set forth.

It is to be understood that the statement of the theory of operation of applicants invention is that founded on applicants understanding at the present time, but should not be construed as restrictive of the actual manner of operation, which is in practice to secure the results stated.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanism shown and described, but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is 1. The method of mixing and maintaining a constant mixture of the ink in the ink f0untain of a printing press which comprises rotating the fountain roller at a speed sufficient to create a convection current by reason of the contact of the ink with the fountain roller, and causing said current to divide into a plurality of currents following different paths through the fountain.

2. llhe method of mixing and maintalning a constant mixture of the ink in the ink fountain of a printing press which comprises rotating the fountain roller at a speed suflicient to create a convection current by reason of the contact of the ink with the fountain roller, and causing said current to divide into a plurality of currents following different paths through the fountain in order to agltate the ink therein.

3. The method of mixing and maintaining a constant mixture of the ink in the ink fountain of a printing press which comprises rotating the fountain roller at a speed sufficient to create a convection current by reason of the contact of the ink with the fountain roller, diverting said current out of its natural course into the remote portions of the fountain to agitate the ink therein, and then causing said diverted current to separate into a plurality of currents.

4. The method of mixing and maintaining a constant mixture of the ink in the ink fountain of a printing press which comprises rotating the fountain roller at a speed sui'l'i cient to create a COIIVBCtlOlTCUIIGIlt by reason of the contact of the ink with the fountain roller into the remote portions of the fountain to agitate the ink therein, and then causing said diverted current to separate into a plurality of currents on its return course.

5. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a fountain blade movable with respect to the fountain for regulating the ink fed from the fountain by the fountain roller and means to direct the convection current set up by the drag of the roller through the ink into the mass of ink in the fountain which is out of contact with the roller.

6. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a fountain blade movable with respect to the fountain for rcgulatingv the ink fed from the fountain by the fountain roller anda baffle plate to direct the convection current. set up by the drag of the roller through the ink into the mass of ink in the fountain which is out of contact with the roller.

7. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a'doctor blade, and a battle plate, with one edge adjacent to the junction of the doctor blade and the fountain roller.

8. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and a baffle plate, suspended in the fountain at an angle to both the doctor blade and the bottom of the fountain, and means to direct the convection current set up by the drag of the roller through the ink into the mass of ink in the fountain which is out of contact with the roller.

9.. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade, and means to direct away from the roller the current of ink deflected from the doctor blade.

10. An ink fountain for a printing. press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade, and means to, direct away from the roller the downwardly travelling current of ink deflected from the doctor blade.

11. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot foundownward tain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade and a baffle plate to direct away from the roller the current of ink deflected from the doctor blade.

12. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade, and a downwardly extending baifie plate with one edge adjacent the junction of the doctor blade and the fountain roller.

13. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade and a baffle plate to direct the current of ink deflected from the doctor blade in a circuitous path abovesaid baffle plate to the back wall of the fountain and back beneath said bafileplate to the fountain roller.

14. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade and a baffle plate to direct the current of ink deflected from the doctor blade in a circuitous path above said battle plate to the back wall of the fountain and back beneath said battle plate in a plurality of paths to the fountain roller.

15. An ink fountain for a printin press including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, a doctor blade and means to divide the current of ink deflected from the doctor blade into a plurality of streams. r

1,6. The combination in an ink fountain of a printing press of an overshot ink roller, a fountain blade, and a baffie plate mounted in the fountain, one edge of the baffle plate being adjacent the overshot ink roller.

17. The combination in an ink fountain of a printing press of an overshot ink roller, a fountain blade, and a baffle plate mounted in the fountain, one edge of the baflle plate being adjacent the fountain blade and the overshot ink roller.

18. A new article of manufacture for ink fountains of printing presses comprising a baflie plate provided with supporting arms having heel portions to seat in angles of the ink fountain and provided with means to se cure said arms to the ink fountain.

19. An ink fountain for printing presses including in combination an overshot fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and a baiile plate mounted within said fountain at an angle to the doctor blade and sloping downwardly and away from the fountain roller.

20. An ink fountain for printing presses including in combination an overshot fountain roller substantially enclosed within said fountain and adapted to rotate therein and means cooperating-with the"convection fcu -r rent set up by thedrag of the roller-through the ink for maintaining uniformity throughout the mass of ink.

HANS c. sonnonnnn. 

